Bathing in the Headmaster's Chambers
by beMMADfabulous
Summary: After a rough day of teaching, Minerva just needs to relax. Perhaps her tiredness is the reason she allowed Rolanda Hooch to talk her into more trouble.. ADMM.


**A/N:: Ah, this is just silliness, I suppose. :P**

**FanFic 100 Challenge #:: 016- Purple**

**Bathing in the Headmaster's Chambers**

Minerva McGongall sighed as she sank heavily into her favorite chair in the Hogwarts staff room. As she poured herself a cup of tea, she attempted to set aside today's disasters from her mind. Indeed, it seemed that every time Albus was away for a meeting with the Ministry, trouble ensued. This time, the highlight of the miserable day was that two students had begun a duel in a hallway between classes, leaving one of them in the hospital wing. Without the Headmaster in the school, chaos was often so frequent that even Sybill Trelawney was able to predict it, Minerva thought to herself with a soft snort.

"Rough day?" Rolanda Hooch asked as she poured some tea into her own cup and sat down in a seat next to Minerva's.

"You have no idea," she replied, exasperation evident in her voice.

"I know just what you need," Rolanda said, but Minerva noticed the conniving spark in her eyes.

"No," Minerva said quickly. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's a part of your endless plan to bring more havoc into my life, and I don't want any part of it."

"But Minerva!" she pleaded in an attempted innocent voice. "I was just going to suggest that you take a nice hot bath to relax your nerves."

"That doesn't sound like too bad of an idea," Minerva said cautiously, drinking the last bit of tea in her cup, placing it upon the table, and moving to her feet.

Rolanda nodded.

"And you know," she said, her face lighting up with a devilish smile, "The Headmaster has the largest bathtub in all of Hogwarts, and he won't be back for several hours.."

Minerva froze in place.

"What are you saying?" she asked, not entirely sure she should even be hearing what Rolanda was about to say, for she had the feeling it would bring nothing but trouble.

"I'm saying that I'm sure Albus wouldn't mind if you were to take a bath in his tub while he was gone," Rolanda persisted.

"You're mad," Minerva said briskly, but Rolanda could tell she was making progress.

"Oh, come on, Minerva!"

"I can't use Albus's bath without his permission!"

"Sure you can! Do you honestly think he would mind?"

The spark seemed to intensify in her eyes as she knew she had Minerva's full attention and consideration now.

"No, probably not.." she said, sensing defeat and realizing just how much she yearned to bathe in Albus's tub... "Oh, all right," Minerva huffed.

"Excellent!" Rolanda exclaimed.

----

As Minerva relaxed in the steamy water, she released the troubling thoughts of the day, but she simply could not seem to push thoughts of Albus out of her mind. True, she had always dreamed of what it would be like if Albus asked her to his chambers- in nothing more than the most friend and colleague-appropriate way, of course-, but here she was now immersed in his bath, not at all actually invited..

Minerva helped herself to her feet and began drying off with the nearest bath towel- a particularly fluffy, vividly purple one that smelled completely of Albus. Allowing the water to pour through the drain from the tub, she did not hear as someone stirred from just outside the bathroom door, preparing himself for a bath. He collected his own purple towel from a drawer and a chose a clean set of robes to wear for the rest of the evening. He hummed to himself as he maneuvered through the room, thankful that the meeting at the Ministry had not lasted nearly as long as expected. He opened the door suddenly, the warm bathroom air breezing over his face.

Albus's jaw dropped and his eyes popped open despite himself as Minerva screamed, her bare flesh exposed to the cool air from the open door. He could do nothing but stare as she frantically attempted to pull the towel around her body, her beautiful hair darkened by the water and hanging loosely at her shoulders. For a moment, Albus did a mental check that he was, indeed, in his own bathroom and did not accidentally stumble into Minerva's chambers instead, but he knew that was impossible. Quickly, he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, leaving her alone and quite unclothed.

Albus had been expecting somewhat of an explanation from Minerva after she had dressed, but she simply emerged from the bathroom and left his chambers quickly without so much as acknowledging his presence.

When Minerva had retreated to the staff room once again, she found the room to be conveniently empty with the exception of a yellow-eyed witch still perched in the same chair as before. Noticing Minerva's ominous glare and footsteps approaching her direction, she swept from the chair and attempted to scurry past unnoticed. Minerva, however, caught her by the neck of her robes, pulling her backwards.

"Rolanda Hooch, I could _kill_ you, though perhaps you would be much more useful as a nice coat rack," Minerva hissed, gripping her wand in anger more than in actual intention of use.

Rolanda whimpered, never at all in doubt of her friend's threats or Transfiguration skills.

"What a coincidence that you should tempt me into using Albus's bath on the day he comes back early from his meeting. I'm sure you had no idea he would walk in on me," Minerva sneered sarcastically.

"I didn't, Minerva!" Rolanda gasped, but she managed to hide a satisfied grin.

"Oh, do let her breathe, Minerva," said a deep voice from behind.

Minerva reluctantly released the collar of Rolanda's robes and turned, still refusing to make eye contact with the man before her.

"I apologize for walking in on you," Albus said earnestly.

Minerva gave a nervous sardonic laugh.

"I was the one using your bath without your permission," she replied before turning away.

"I didn't mind," he said softly.

"Don't feel bad about it, Minerva," Rolanda said with a nudge. "We're the only three that know about what happened, and you know I won't tell anyone."

Minerva glared fiery daggers at her, as Rolanda's promises of secrecy often ended with the whole school knowing every detail of the incident by the end of the day. Albus stepped forward.

"Minerva, are you ever going to look me in the eye again?"

She tensed her shoulders and gave a half shrug. As Minerva moved to face Albus, Rolanda whispered something into his ear and shoved him forward, almost knocking him into Minerva.

"Thank you, Rolanda," he said kindly. "I'll take it from here."

She grinned, nodded, and winked at Minerva before leaving.

"She's impossible," Minerva said, watching Rolanda to make sure she had gone.

"She means well," Albus said.

Minerva raised her head to finally meet his eyes, her cheeks flushing a rosy shade of pink.

"There's a solution to this, you know."

"Yes, I've already considered throwing Rolanda off a cliff."

Albus chuckled.

"No, I meant that I don't object to you using my bath while I'm away- as long as I have prior notice."

He tried to push away the thought that he would enjoy knowing exactly when she was bathing in his chambers...

Minerva shook her head.

"Albus, what if the students find out?" she asked seriously.

Honestly, he wasn't very logical at times.

"It's not like we're bathing together," he said.

Again, he pushed these thoughts aside...

Minerva sighed. Albus outstretched his arm to her and she took it.

"Yes, but I was so fond of the thought of hexing Rolanda."

**THE END**


End file.
